Essential Oils

Part of any good holistic health toolkit.

Creating Essential Oils

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Would be great to get Steam Distillation instructions up here perhaps?

Safety: Children

Obligatory disclaimer: do your own research. Ask your doctor. Etc.. These recommendations gleaned from [1].

This page DOES NOT CONSTITUTE medical advice. Consult your physician, etc..

3+ Months

Essential oils safe for topical use/diffusion on babies 3+ months

The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on babies 3+ months topically, should not exceed .2% of the recipe, or 1-2 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Chamomile, Roman and German (Anthemis nobilis, Matricaria rectutita)
• Dill (Anthum graveolens)
• Lavender – (Lavendula angustifolia)
• Yarrow, Blue (Achillea millefolium)

6+ Months

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil's maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on babies 6+ months topically, should not exceed .5% of the recipe, or 3-5 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) bergamot essential oil is a phototoxic oil and can cause phototoxic reactions on your skin if used before going out in the sunshine. diffusion and wash-off products are safe.
• Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)
• Cedarwood, Atlas/Virgina (Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus deodora, Juniperus virginiana) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum verum) this is safe for diffusion ONLY. Cinnamon bark is not safe for use on anyone's skin, as it is too irritating. Use Cinnamon leaf instead, for topical preparations!
• Cinnamon leaf (Cinnamomum verum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
• Cypress (Cupressus sempervires)
• Fir needle (Abies sibirica)
• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens)
• Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi)
• Helichrysum (Helichrysum angustifolium)
• Lemon (Citrus limon) this is safe for diffusion. Though this is safe for topical application, sweet orange is suggested instead, because it's less harsh on the skin. If cold pressed rather than steam distilled, this essential oil is a potential photosensitizer.
• Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
• Neroli (Citrus aurantium)
• Palma Rosa (Cymbopogon martinii)
• Petitgrain (Citrus aurantium)
• Pine (pinus divaricata, pinus resinosa, pinus strobus, pinus sylvestris) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica)
• Rosalina (Melaleuca ericifolia)
• Rose Otto (Rosa damascena)
• Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum)
• Spruce (picea abies, picea glauca, picea mariana, picea rubens)
• Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
• Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)
• Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)

2+ Years

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil's maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on children 2+ years topically, should not exceed 2% of the recipe, or 20 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Basil, Lemon (Ociumum x citriodorum)
• Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum)
• Benzoin (Styrax benzoin, Styrax paralleloneurus)
• Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cassia (Cinnamomum cassia) this is safe ONLY for diffusion. Cinnamon cassia is not safe for use on anyone's skin, as it is too irritating. Use Cinnamon leaf instead, for topical preparations
• Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
• Clove Bud/Clove Leaf (Syzygium aromaticum, Eugenia aromatica, Eugenia caryophyllata) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Copaiba Basalm (Copaifera officinalis)
• Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
• Garlic (Allium sativum) this is best for diffusion because it can cause skin irritations when applied topically.
• Ginger (Zingiber officinale) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
• Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
• Lemongrass (Andropogon citratus, Andropogon flexuosus, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Lime (Citrus x aurantifolia)
• Melissa/Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
• Oregano (Origanum onites, Origanum smyrnaeum, Origanum vulgare, Origanum compactum, Origanum hirtum, Thymbra capitata, Thymus capitatus, Coridothymus capitatus, Satureeja capitata)
• Sweet Marjoram (Marjorana hortensis)
• Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)
• Spearmint (Mentha cardiaca, Mentha spicata)
• Tea Tree, Lemon (Leptospermum petersonii, Leptospermum citratum, Leptospermum liversidgei)
• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris, Thymus Zygis) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
• Verbena, Lemon (Aloysia triphylla, Aloysia citriodora, Lippa citriodora, Lippa triphylla)
• Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides)
• Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
• Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata) this can be diffused for children under 2 years

6+ Years

This is just a general guideline and great care should be taken to research each essential oil's maximum dermal use individually before use. The maximum recommended amount of essential oils used on children 6+ years topically, should not exceed 3% of the recipe, or 30 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

• Anise/Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Anise, Star (Illicium verum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cajeput (Melaleuca cajuputi, Melaleuca leucadendron)
• Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Cornmint (Mentha arvensis, Mentha canadensis)
• Fennel, sweet and bitter (Foeniculum vulgare)
• Laurel Leaf/Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)
• Marjoram, Spanish (Thymus mastichina)
• Niaouli (cineole chemotype)
• Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) use a smaller amount of this topically as it can cause skin irritation if not properly diluted.
• Sage, Greek/White (Salvia officinalis, Salvia fruiticosa, Salvia tribola, Salvia apiana)

10+ Years

By this age, most of the essential oils are safe for topical use or diffusion for children, though you should always be sure to slowly introduce each oil individually, to be sure that there are no adverse reactions or allergies. Peppermint, eucalyptus, and rosemary essential oils are all avoided in younger children because they contain a chemical constituent called cineol 1,8 and menthol. According to Robert Tisserand, in the newest edition of Essential Oil Safety:

Favorites

Some of my favorites:

• Lavendar -- good for headaches.
• Peppermint -- great for inhalations
• Eucalyptus -- also great for inhalations
• Frankincense EO has anti-cancer properties.
• Clove can be used with a carrier oil (Coconut, Olive, ...) and has dental uses (see [[Oil Pulling]).
• Ginger is great; has been shown to reduce inflammation, support joints, improve digestion and relieve nausea.
• Lemon has many uses, see the section

As a Pesticide

Plenty of word of mouth -- but also some solid science demonstrates efficacy of many EOs in the garden. See this study:

• [Essential Oils as Green Pesticides]